More Than Leaders

At this year's Yakir Maccabi Awards Ceremony, we celebrated the exceptional leaders whose decades of service, vision and volunteerism have left a lasting mark on the Maccabiah and our global Maccabi movement. Their leadership has strengthened Jewish identity, advanced Zionist education, expanded international cooperation, and inspired generations of athletes and communities around the world.

Claudia De Benedetti (Italy)

 Claudia's journey with the Maccabi movement begat at the 1977 Maccabiah. Since then, has held numerous leadership roles, including Organizer of the MWU FLF Founder and Seminars, Project Manager of the MWU Ambassadors of Truth, Executive Director MWU Hasbara's Seminars in Italy, Organizer of the MWU & Italy Israel Friendship Mission, Co-Chairperson of Programs to Israel (MWU International Committee), and member of the Maccabiah 2022 and 2026 Educational Committees. Since 2018, she has also served as a Member of the MWU Board of Trustees. 

Watch Claudia's story:

Orly Froman (International)

Orly's journey with the Maccabia movement began in 1963 when she joined Maccabi Tzair Rishon Le-Zion, later serving as both Madricha and branch coordinator.

Alongside a distinguished public career as a Member of Knesset, CEO of Israel's Ministry of Culture and Sport, and Director of the Tel Aviv District in the Ministry of Education, she remained deeply committed to strengthening Israel's educational and cultural landscape.

 Within Maccabi, Orly served as Chair MWU Education Department and Chair of the Maccabiah 2022 Education Department. In 2024, she co-founded the MWU Women's Forum. Today, she serves as MWU Vice Chairman, Executive Member, Member of the MWU President's Forum and the MWU Museum Committee, and Deputy Chairman of the Maccabiah 2026 Organizing Committee, continuing her lifelong commitment to the Maccabi movement and the broader Jewish-Zionist community.

 

Watch Orly's story:

Cliff Garrun (South Africa)

A passionate Zionist and dedicated sportsman, Cliff has devoted himself to the Maccabi movement since 2008, helping ensure long-term sustainability while strengthening Jewish pride and preserving Jewish identity for future generations.

Over the years, he has served on the South Africa Games committee for the 18th Maccabiah, as Head of the Maccabi South Africa Confederation, and as member of the MWU Yakir Award Committee. Today, he serves as MWU Vice Chairman, Member of the MWU President's Forum, the International Finance Committee, the International Sports Committee and the International Anti-Semitism Committee, while also serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Head of the Maccabi South Africa Confederation.

Watch Cliff's story:

Moshe Goldstein (Israel)

Moshe Goldstein, affectionately known as "Goldy", began his lifelong journey with the Maccabi movement in 1967 as a board member of the Maccabi Tel Aviv branch. He later served as the coordinator of the Maccabi Tzair branch, a member of the national leadership of Maccabi Tzair, and Secretary General of Maccabi Tzair. Over the years, he continued his extensive volunteer service with Maccabi Israel as a Board Member, Chairman of the Mechanism Committee, member of the Finance Committee and the Maccabi Israel Center, and formerly as Chairman of the Maccabi Ramat Gan force Management.

Within MWU, Goldy has served as a member of the Secretariat, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, a member of the Organizing Committee for six Maccabiot, a member of the Kfar Maccabiah Executive, and a member of the Israel Football Association's management. 

Watch Moshe's story:

Bill Iszo (Canada)

A passionate advocate for the Maccabi movement, Bill has dedicated decades to strengthening its future through leadership, innovation and service. As a member of the IT team, he played a key role in developing the Maccabiah's game-changing registration system, helping modernize the movement's technological infrastructure for future generations.

Bill's Maccabi journey began as an athlete, competing in the half marathon at the 1985 Maccabiah, where he won a team bronze medal. He later returned as a manager and coach for the Canadian delegation at the 1997, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022 Maccabiot. A former member of the MWU Yakir Award Committee, the MWU Museum Committee, the MWU Education & Culture Committee, the Maccabiah Accommodation Committee and the Maccabiah Innovation & IT Committee, Bill currently serves as Chair of the Maccabi Ottawa Region, Executive Member of Maccabi Canada, Maccabi Canada National Secretary, MWU Executive Member, International Chair of the Information & IT Committee, and an active participant in MWU Plenary and Congresses.

Watch Bill's story:

David Korenfeld (MWU)

Dr. David Korenfeld has dedicated more than six decades to the Maccabi movement, Jewish-Zionist education, and leadership within MWU His journey began at the age of eight as a member of Maccabi Tzair Uruguay, and at 20 he made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Israel, driven by his commitment to the Zionist dream. Throughout his years of service, he established the MWU Education Department and served as its Chairman, while also launching international educational seminars that have shaped generations of Maccabi leaders.

Over the years, Dr. Korenfeld has held numerous key leadership roles, including Chairman of Maccabi Tzair Latin America, Chairman of the Latin America Desk, Executive member of Maccabim, Chairman of the Maccabiah Special Projects Department, MWU Vice Chairman, Co-Chair of the CEO Forum, MWU Representative to JCC Global, and MWU Honorary Secretary.

He continues to serve on the MWU Executive, Secretariat, President's Forum, Shlichut Committee, and the Kfar Maccabiah Board, while also serving on the Maccabiah Organizing Committee for nine Maccabiot and participating in numerous MWU committees. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee and Executive of the World Jewish Sports Museum, while also holding leadership roles in national institutions including the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency and KKL-JNF. 

Watch David's story:

Ricky Landau (Venezuela)

For more than 25 years, Ricky has proudly represented Maccabi Venezuela, ensuring a strong Venezuelan presence within MWU and at the Maccabiot while taking an active role across numerous MWU departments. As both an athlete and a delegation leader, he has participated in multiple Maccabiot and Pan American Maccabi Games, while also helping other Jewish communities, including Cuba, take part in the Games.

During his presidency of Hebraica, Ricky worked tirelessly to encourage young people to participate in MWU programs and strengthen their connection to Israel.

He has served as Chair of the MWU Sports Department, Chair of the Eligibility Committee, and a member and chair of numerous additional MWU committees, while actively participating in MWU Plenums and Congresses, guided by his unwavering commitment to Maccabi and the Jewish community.

Watch Ricky's story:

Amir Peled (International)

Amir Peled, Chairman of MWU, grew up in a Maccabi family and is the second-

generation son of former MWU chairman Dr. Israel Peled. For more than 35 years, Amir has played a central role in shaping the movement through visionary leadership, long-term commitment, and a deep belief in its Zionist and educational mission. 

After studying law and serving as a police investigation officer, Amir embarked on an MWU shlichut to the United States. Upon his return to Israel, he assumed a wide range of leadership roles within the movement. He was a partner in establishing the Maccabim settlement in the 1980s and later helped build the Maccabi World Union campus at in Kfar Maccabiah.

Throughout the years, Amir has served in every major voluntary leadership position within MWU, championing innovation, entrepreneurship and meaningful organizational growth. As Chairman of the Maccabiah, he led a vision of continuous renewal, ensuring that the Games evolve every four years to remain relevant and inspiring for future generations. Today, as Chairman of MWU, he continues to lead the movement into a new era by cultivating the next generation of leadership, promoting greater gender balance, and strengthening both the global Maccabi movement and Kfar Maccabiah for years to come.

Watch Amir's story:

 

Claudio Ploit (Argentina)

Claudio's journey with the Maccabi movement began at the age of seven, playing soccer and futsal through FAM (Argentina Maccabi Federation). Throughout his youth, he competed in every FACCMA futsal competition with Maccabi Tel Aviv, laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to Maccabi sports.

For more than 30 years, Claudio has been actively involved with Maccabi Argentina's football teams as both a coach and a member of the coaching staff, while representing Argentina at numerous Maccabiot and Pan American Maccabi Games. Since joining the International Sports Committee (ISC) in 2010, he has helped expand the Games by introducing the Maccabi Men/Women competitions as official sports. In recent Maccabiot, Claudio has also served as the ISC inspector for cycling, marathon, and the Maccabi Men/Women competitions, continuing his longstanding contribution to the development of Maccabi sport. 

Watch Claudio's story:

Eyal Tiberger (International)

For more than five decades, Eyal Tiberger has dedicated his career to the growth and success of the Maccabi movement, providing exceptional leadership, vision and unwavering commitment. From his early roles as Executive Director to his current positions as Director-General, Fundraising Campaign Director, and Executive Member of the World Jewish Sports Museum, Eyal has played a central role in shaping the movement's future.

As Director-General of multiple Maccabiot, Eyal has overseen the planning and delivery of the world's largest Jewish-Zionist sporting event, helping the Games grow in both scale and impact. Beyond Israel, his leadership has strengthened partnerships between the Maccabi movement and governments, institutions and Jewish organizations around the world, reinforcing Maccabi's global reach and influence.

Watch Eyal's story:

Uzy Zwebner (MWU)

Although Uzy joined Maccabi World Union later in life, the past three decades have been marked by extraordinary dedication to the movement in Israel and around the world. A former athlete and basketball player, he quickly became one of MWU's leading volunteers, bringing strategic leadership and a deep commitment to the organization's future.

Uzy sevred as Chairman of the 16th and 17th Maccabiot, leading the Games through two of their most challenging periods—following the 1997 Bridge tragedy and during the Second Intifada, when the future of the Maccabiah itself was uncertain. Through his leadership, determination and exceptional interpersonal skills, both Games were successfully delivered. 

Over the years, he also served on the MWU Executive and Secretariat and played a key role in the leadership of Kfar Maccabiah, including as Chairman of its Board during one of the most challenging periods.

 Photos credit: Yael Zur

Watch Uzy's story:

The Maccabi movement is built by people who dedicate their lives to something greater than themselves. Thank you to all of this year's Yakir Maccabi honorees for your extraordinary service, leadership and commitment. Congratulations from all of us!